History Main / ActionDuo

* The main pair of ''Literature/AlongTheWindingRoad''. [[TheArcher Arthur]] is a skilled hunter and fighter, and while Charlotte technically hunts zombies, it's pretty clear combat with anything less shambling and brainless isn't her specialty.

* Tallahassee and Columbus in ''Film/{{Zombieland}}'': "Columbus" spends almost the entire movie in InternalMonologue about how one has to be cautious and plan carefully in various ways to avoid dying in an AfterTheEnd zombie-filled world, demonstrating that he's a classic ActionSurvivor. "Tallahasee", in contrast, delights in playing the ActionHero role in a world filled with AcceptableTargets for his aggression, and is the more proactive zombie-killer of the two. Tallahassee's direct approach and Columbus' smarts and caution lead them to being a good post-apocalyptic team.

* This is ''exactly'' how Jessica Cruz and Simon Baz start out in ''ComicBook/GreenLanterns''. Though both are [[EnsignNewbie relative newbies to their powers and duties]] for whom [[TheCallKnowsWhereYouLive the Call just won't hang up]], Simon is ''far'' more combat-ready with his Power Ring and is the ActionHero archetype, preferring the "direct approach" to problems - which often equates to "[[HotBlooded jump right in with brute force]]"; his idea of planning ahead is to keep a loaded handgun as "backup" in case the Ring fails. Jessica, meanwhile, is the consummate ActionSurvivor half of this trope: her introduction in a prior ''Justice League'' arc established her as a chronic InnocentBystander running and hiding from both real and imagined threats for literal in-universe ''years'' as part of her {{backstory}}...and note, all of that was ''before'' the entire planet started getting [[EmotionBomb Emotion Bombed with rage energy]] in the opening arc of ''Green Lanterns''. In this book, she vastly prefers the cautious, strategic approach that might keep everyone alive; her first thought when the Red Lantern Corps invades is even "[[SupermanStaysOutOfGotham shouldn't we]] call [[TheCavalry the Justice League]]?" And until the very end of the "Rage Planet" arc, she can't even generate a HardLight construct...which means she can't utilize the "[[GreenLanternRing greatest weapon in the universe]]" in anything except mostly-defensive functions like flight, which results in her relying on Simon to do most of the physical attacking and in her spending much of the climactic battle of "Rage Planet" curled up in hiding, while she tries to tamp down her panic attack. Part of Simon's character growth in that arc is learning that her cautious approach has merits because even he has limits, while hers is about [[HeroicWillpower overcoming her fear]] enough to wield her Power Ring to its full, ''proactive'' extent - not unlike [[spoiler:the [[ActionSurvivor narrator]]'s]] development from ''Film/{{Zombieland}}''.

%%* Dillon and Ziggy from ''Series/PowerRangersRPM''. Dillon is a gritty MadeOfIron amnesiac much like {{Wolverine}}; Ziggy...hides behind a chair and makes shadow puppets. Not that the latter [[ChekhovsSkill ends up being less important]] than the ability to bust heads...

If the NonActionGuy at least manages to compensate by being TheSmartGuy, you have BrainsAndBrawn. If the ActionHero [[SacrificedBasicSkillForAwesomeTraining sacrificed a basic skill for their awesome training]], the Action Survivor will help [[UpbringingMakesTheHero round them out]]. And if they're [[TheLoad not good for anything else]], at least the Action Survivor can play TheHeart and/or MoralityPet to an Action Hero who's become a KnightInSourArmor or otherwise hardened by his violent past. Expect these disparities and constant action to make them VitriolicBestBuds. However, if they're compatible enough with each other in that they each manage to kick equal amounts of ass, they're probably BashBrothers.

* ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'' and her eventual boyfriend Ron Stoppable. Possible is pragmatically a superhero who uses acrobatics and gadgets to save the world, Stoppable usually just tries to keep up.

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If the NonActionGuy at least manages to compensate by being TheSmartGuy, you have BrainsAndBrawn. On the other hand, if the ActionHero [[SacrificedBasicSkillForAwesomeTraining sacrificed a basic skill for their awesome training]], the Action Survivor will help [[UpbringingMakesTheHero round them out]]. Expect these disparities and constant action to make them VitriolicBestBuds. However, if they're compatible enough with each other in that they each manage to kick equal amounts of ass, they're probably BashBrothers.

* This is ''exactly'' how Jessica Cruz and Simon Baz start out in ''ComicBook/GreenLanterns''. Though both are [[EnsignNewbie relative newbies to their powers and duties]] for whom [[TheCallKnowsWhereYouLive the Call just won't hang up]], Simon is ''far'' more combat-ready with his Power Ring and is the ActionHero archetype, preferring the "direct approach" to problems - which often equates to "[[HotBlooded jump right in with brute force]]"; his idea of planning ahead is to keep a loaded handgun as "backup" in case the Ring fails. Jessica, meanwhile, is the consummate ActionSurvivor half of this trope: her introduction in a prior ''Justice League'' arc established her as a chronic InnocentBystander running and hiding from both real and imagined threats for literal in-universe ''years'' as part of her {{backstory}}...and note, all of that was ''before'' the entire planet started getting [[EmotionBomb Emotion Bombed with rage energy]] in the opening arc of ''Green Lanterns''. In this book, she vastly prefers the cautious, strategic approach that might keep everyone alive; her first thought when the Red Lantern Corps invades is even "[[SupermanStaysOutOfGotham shouldn't we]] call [[TheCavalry the Justice League]]?" And until the very end of the "Rage Planet" arc, she can't even generate a HardLight construct...which means she can't utilize the "[[GreenLanternRing greatest weapon in the universe]]" in anything except mostly-defensive functions like flight, which results in her relying on Simon to do most of the physical attacking [[spoiler:and in her spending much of the climactic battle of "Rage Planet" curled up in hiding, while she tries to tamp down her panic attack]]. Part of Simon's character growth in that arc is learning that her cautious approach has merits because even he has limits, while hers is about [[HeroicWillpower overcoming her fear]] enough to wield her Power Ring to its full, ''proactive'' extent - not unlike [[spoiler:the [[ActionSurvivor narrator]]'s]] development from ''Film/{{Zombieland}}''.

* This is ''exactly'' how Jessica Cruz and Simon Baz start out in ''ComicBook/GreenLanterns''. Though both are [[EnsignNewbie relative newbies to their powers and duties]] for whom [[TheCallKnowsWhereYouLive the Call just won't hang up]], Simon is ''far'' more combat-ready with his Power Ring and is the ActionHero archetype, preferring the "direct approach" to problems - which often equates to "[[HotBlooded jump right in with brute force]]"; his idea of planning ahead is to keep a loaded handgun as "backup" in case the Ring fails. Jessica, meanwhile, is the consummate ActionSurvivor half of this trope: her introduction in a prior ''Justice League'' arc established her as a chronic InnocentBystander running and hiding from both real and imagined threats for literal in-universe ''years'' as part of her {{backstory}}...and note, all of that was ''before'' the entire planet started getting [[EmotionBomb Emotion Bombed with rage energy]] in the opening arc of ''Green Lanterns''. In this book, she vastly prefers the cautious, strategic approach that might keep everyone alive; her first thought when the Red Lantern Corps invades is even "[[SupermanStaysOutOfGotham shouldn't we]] call [[TheCavalry the Justice League]]?" And until [[spoiler:the very end of the "Rage Planet" arc]], she can't even generate a HardLight construct...which means she can't utilize the "[[GreenLanternRing greatest weapon in the universe]]" in anything except mostly-defensive functions like flight, which results in her relying on Simon to do most of the physical attacking [[spoiler:and in her spending much of the climactic battle of "Rage Planet" curled up in hiding, while she tries to tamp down her panic attack]]. Part of Simon's character growth in that arc is learning that her cautious approach has merits because even he has limits, while hers is about [[HeroicWillpower overcoming her fear]] enough to wield her Power Ring to its full, ''proactive'' extent - not unlike [[spoiler:the [[ActionSurvivor narrator]]'s]] development from ''Film/{{Zombieland}}''.

[[caption-width-right:349:Left to right: "[[ActionSurvivor Columbus]]" and "[[ActionHero Tallahassee]]".]]

A common portrayal is playing the two as ShortRangeGuyLongRangeGuy pair- normally with the badass being a short range fighter and the action survivor supporting from cover. The roles can occasionally be reversed, however: A ColdSniper handing his BumblingSidekick an ax and using him as [[TheBait Zombie Bait]] is not unheard of.

* This is ''exactly'' how Jessica Cruz and Simon Baz start out in ''ComicBook/GreenLanterns''. Though both are [[EnsignNewbie relative newbies to their powers and duties]] for whom [[TheCallKnowsWhereYouLive the Call just won't hang up]], Simon is ''far'' more combat-ready with his Power Ring and is the ActionHero archetype, preferring the "direct approach" to problems - which often equates to "[[HotBlooded jump right in with brute force]]"; his idea of planning ahead is to keep a loaded handgun as "backup" in case the Ring fails. Jessica, meanwhile, is the consummate ActionSurvivor half of this trope: her introduction in a prior ''Justice League'' arc established her as a chronic InnocentBystander running and hiding from both real and imagined threats for literal in-universe ''years'' as part of her {{backstory}}...and note, all of that was ''before'' the entire planet started getting [[EmotionBomb Emotion Bombed with rage energy]] in the opening arc of ''Green Lanterns''. In this book, she vastly prefers the cautious, strategic approach that might keep everyone alive; her first thought when the Red Lantern Corps invades is even "[[SupermanStaysOutOfGotham shouldn't we]] call [[TheCavalry the Justice League]]?". And until [[spoiler:the very end of the "Rage Planet" arc]], she can't even generate a HardLight construct...which means she can't utilize the "[[GreenLanternRing greatest weapon in the universe]]" in anything except mostly-defensive functions like flight, which results in her relying on Simon to do most of the physical attacking [[spoiler:and in her spending much of the climactic battle of "Rage Planet" curled up in hiding, while she tries to tamp down her panic attack]]. Part of Simon's character growth in that arc is learning that her cautious approach has merits because even he has limits, while hers is about [[HeroicWillpower overcoming her fear]] enough to wield her Power Ring to its full, ''proactive'' extent - not unlike [[spoiler:the [[ActionSurvivor narrator]]'s]] development from ''Film/{{Zombieland}}''.

* In ''Literature/Simulated'' Sam and Benjamin fight together against the anti-virus program and then later team up again to retrieve the book from the Good Gracious host.

* Sam and Benjamin of "Literature/Simulated" They fight together against the anti-virus program and then later team up again to retrieve the book from the Good Gracious host.

* Sam and Benjamin of ''Literature/Simulated'' They fight together against the anti-virus program and then later team up again to retrieve the book from the Good Gracious host.

* Sam and Benjamin of ''Literature/Simulated'': They fight together against the anti-virus program and then later team up again to retrieve the book from the Good Gracious host.

* Sam and Benjamin of ''Literature/Simulated'':. They fight together against the anti-virus program and then later team up again to retrieve the book from the Good Gracious host.

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%%* ''WesternAnimation/Ben10'': Ben Tennyson]] with [[GeneratorRex Rex Salazar]] in [[WesternAnimation/Ben10GeneratorRexHeroesUnited Heroes United]] and with Rook Blonko in ''WesternAnimation/Ben10Omniverse''.

%%* [[WesternAnimation/{{Ben 10}} Ben Tennyson]] with [[GeneratorRex Rex Salazar]] in [[Ben10GeneratorRexHeroesUnited Heroes United]] and with Rook Blonko in Ben10Omniverse.